This story is part of a series on the challenges and solutions related to oral health in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. It is made possible with funding support from the Delta Dental Foundation.
When Peggy Lee’s 80-year-old mother, Judith “Judy” Logan, was diagnosed with oral cancer, their family wasn’t prepared for the financial and emotional toll that would follow. A lifetime of limited dental care had left Logan with ill-fitting dentures, and her fixed income made navigating treatment nearly impossible.
“Our family could only help so much. Her medical costs were just so high,” says Lee, who lives near her mother’s apartment in Canton, Ohio. “I don’t know where Mom would be without the help she got.”
That help came from the
HNC Living Foundation, a national nonprofit that removes financial barriers for people diagnosed with head and neck cancer. These patients often face high out-of-pocket costs for dental procedures, nutritional supplements, transportation, and recovery supplies.
Founded in 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri, by Theresa Walsh after her own cancer battle, the foundation grew out of a simple yet profound question she asked her physician: “Why am I getting better?” The answer revealed a troubling reality.
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Judy Logan with her radiation team at Aultman Hospital, including her doctor, Dr. Wobb.
“He told her that many patients have to choose between getting dental care or showing up for treatment,” says Alyssa LaVelle, director of marketing and outreach at HNC Living Foundation. “Some are choosing between gas money for their appointments or paying their bills. Usually, the patients are choosing between showing up for their treatment or working to make ends meet to pay other bills. Not necessarily dental care. That conversation inspired her to start this foundation.”
Dental care out of reach for many
Before many cancer patients can even begin radiation or chemotherapy, they must first receive dental clearance to confirm that infections or oral complications won’t interfere with treatment. Yet access to oral health care is often out of reach, especially for patients on limited incomes, like Logan.
“She didn’t have a very good dentist growing up,” Lee says. “She had a terrible experience as a child with a dentist who worked out of his house, and it stuck with her.”
By the time Logan noticed a sore on her tongue that wouldn’t heal, it had progressed into oral cancer. Surgery and 30 rounds of radiation followed, leaving her unable to taste food and contributing to a 25-pound weight loss.
“She used to love food, but nothing tasted good anymore,” Lee says. “Her old dentures didn’t fit after the weight loss, and it made everything harder.”
"I was so overwhelmed when I learned that I had oral cancer,” Logan says. “I survived breast cancer when I was in my 60s, and now I was dealing with oral cancer at 80 years old. I healed well from the surgery, but after that, I felt exhausted from the radiation treatments and had no appetite for a long time.”
That’s when a hospital social worker connected the family with HNC Living Foundation. Lee filled out an online application, and within a week, a care coordinator named Brandi called.
“She was so kind,” Lee says. “She helped us with gas cards for appointments and provided high-calorie Boost drinks. That made such a difference.”
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Judy Logan with Ebony, a radiation technician, during a treatment session at Aultman Hospital.
The HNC Living Foundation covered the cost of Logan’s new dentures with funding from a grant provided by the Delta Dental Foundation.
“I don’t know how we could’ve afforded them otherwise,” Lee says. “They were 30 or 40 years old and didn’t fit anymore. Getting those new dentures made Mom feel like herself again.”
Logan agrees that the oral care was crucial to her recovery.
“The new dentures made me feel so much better and made it possible for me to eat well again as I gained strength,” she said. “I am very thankful for the HNC Living Foundation and all of the support they provided for me."
Helping hundreds
Since receiving its first grant from Delta Dental Foundation in 2022, HNC Living Foundation has increased its investment in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana by 50% each year. To date, the organization has:
- Helped 244 patients in the tri-state region
- Delivered 675 services, including dental care, transportation, and nutritional support
- Spent a total of $290,998.09 in direct support for residents of these three states
“We were already helping patients in Michigan, but the Delta Dental Foundation grant allowed us to grow our services significantly,” LaVelle says. “We might have gone from helping with $20,000 worth of services to now over $100,000 annually in that region.”
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Judy Logan after oral cancer treatment.
Head and neck cancers are one of the few cancer types that continue to rise in the United States, fueled in part by HPV infections as well as tobacco and alcohol use. The complex nature of these cancers often results in long, difficult recoveries.
“A lot of our patients can’t eat solid foods,” LaVelle says. “They rely on nutritional drinks or tube feeding, especially due to the extensive nature of their treatment.”
Patients can apply through a secure online portal, and the foundation serves households up to 200% of the federal poverty level. Most applicants receive a response within one to two weeks.
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Judy Logan with her daughter, Peggy Lee.
“One of our care team members is actually a head and neck cancer survivor,” LaVelle says. “She now helps other patients navigate the process. She truly understands what they’re going through.”
Today, Logan is in recovery, speaking with a slight lisp from a small section of her tongue that was removed.
Lee, who managed the caregiving responsibilities, says the support helped restore more than just her mother’s health.
“They helped my mom feel like herself again,” she says. “They were there when we needed it most.”
Photos courtesy of Peggy Lee